Distinctive Discography

DISN186 - General Midi - Operation Overdrive

About this release

In parts as accessible as Depeche Mode, as fly as Justice, as deadly as Dizzee and electro-rockin’ like Kissy, General Midi’s new album is a future-disco audio assault. Set to lift him beyond breakbeat boundaries ‘Operation Overdrive’ throws electro, punk, hip hop, fidget house and more at the traditional template, bucking the minimal trend to present twelve tracks of Midism with maximum impact.

Emerging from the darker realms of Bristol’s club scene way back in the nineties, General Midi has spent over a decade carving out a niche as the go to man if you like your party soundtrack big, bassy and with bollocks. Obstreperous from the start, album opener and first single ‘4 Million Ways’ features Foreign Beggars’ Orifice Vulgatron spitting double-time over a heavy electro backing, before ‘Absinthe’, featuring NY singer / songwriter Sean Gill (Passengerz), showcases Midi’s ability to also dabble in the art of hooky hit making. ‘Audio Assault’, ‘Kickbox’ and last year’s ‘Milton’ take listeners into classic Midi territory, aimed firmly at the dancefloor and already tried and tested in DJ sets from the General around the globe.

Further collaborations come from electro shock rocker Leigh De Vries, first lady of breaks Odissi on ‘Back For More’, ex-Devils Gun vocalist Dominique Woolf on ‘Misbehave’, New York singer-songwriter Von Doom and ex-Prodigy guitarist Jim Davis on ‘Poker Face’ (not to be confused with the offerings of a certain leotard clad chart-topper.) Throw in the downtempo (for GM!) beat-driven rock on ‘Back For More’ and the bounce of ‘When I Rock’ and you have a longplayer that will soon have you following the instructions of LA’s Whiskey Pete on ‘Get It Down’: “put your drink down, report to the dancefloor.”

General Midi, or Paul Crossman as his mum and bank manager know him, has a reputation as a man with an impeccable ear for a tune, the producer’s producer and has been busy criss-crossing the globe DJing since the release of his last album ‘Midi Style’. The past few years have also been spent with studio partner Eelz creating the futuristic sounds of ‘Operation Overdrive’ and constantly fine-tuning tuning the tracks. “You get into that painting the Forth Bridge thing where the whole thing continues perpetually,” observes Paul on finalising the album. “We just had to stop and get a record out eventually.”

This second full set of Midi originals is a polished collection of crisp beats, big basslines and hooks a plenty, album launch parties are already in place for London, Manchester and Bristol, and there’s even talk of a live show and visuals so watch this space.

CREDITS

All tracks written, engineered & produced by General Midi @ Lemonworks, Bristol
Vocals on 4 Million Way by Orifice Vulgatron (Foreign Beggars)
Vocals on Absinthe by Von Doom
Vocals on Back for More by Odissi
Vocals on Get It Down by Whiskey Pete
Vocals on Poker Face by Jim Davis
Vocals on Misbehave by Dominique Woolf
Vocals on Out Of Control by Leigh De Vries
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